The present invention relates to a method for successively conveying flat-shaped items.
In particular, the present invention relates to a method for successively conveying flat-shaped items for forming groups consisting of a number of said items positioned on edge.
The present invention is particularly suitable for use in the food industry for forming groups of sweets, biscuits or similar upstream from a packing machine. On known production machines employed in the food industry, e.g. for producing sweets, the flat-shaped items coming off the machine are fed in bulk on to a supporting surface, the output end of which communicates with the input end of a conveyor device usually consisting of a vibratory surface sloping slightly downwards and having at least a longitudinal guide extending from said input end to the output end of the vibratory surface. As they travel along said vibratory surface, the items, laid flat, are usually line up contacting said guide, and fed successively to a roll-over device, by which said items are turned substantially 90.degree. on to one edge and fed, in this position, to the input conveyor of a packing machine.
Known roll-over devices currently employed are of two main types. A first usually comprises three reciprocating members consisting of a stop member, an accompanying member, and a supporting member, which provide for turning the items 90.degree. and feeding them succesively, on edge, on to said input conveyor. On the second type of known roll-over device, the roll-over function is performed by a rotary conveyor, by which said items are picked off the vibratory surface and swung 90.degree. on to a withdrawal device by which they are pushed, contacing one another, on to said input conveyor. The reciprocating members employed on said first type of known roll-over device result in a number of drawbacks: high noise level, frequent servicing and low operating speed. Moreover, in the specific case in question, said stop member, which must move in between the items traveling in-line along said vibratory surface, for arresting and enabling one-by-one roll-over of the same, may result in breakage of the items, if these are not fed along said vibratory surface in perfect time with said stop member.
Known devices of the second type provide for solving the aforementioned drawbacks to some extend, but only at the expense of creating other, mainly due to employment of said rotary conveyor. In fact, as said conveyor is designed to swing the items through no more than 90.degree., the input conveyor on the packing machine must be positioned radially in relation to the rotary conveyor, with the result that, instead of "dropping", the items must be "pushed" on to the input conveyor. This therefore rules out any possibility of employing a straightforward compartment type input conveyor designed to maintain the items on edge, so that the items must be "packed" together on to the input conveyor and maintainted in this position by means of complex reciprocating support devices. Such packing of the items usually also prevents any roll-over breakages from being eliminated.
Further drawbacks deriving from said rotary conveyor include difficulties in making even the slightest change in format; and the fact that, as they are being fed off the rotary conveyor on to the input conveyor of the packing machine, said items are left unsupported for a fraction of a second, during which they may easily topple over.